The Blog

​ TEDxPolkStateCollege is excited to announce the speakers for its inaugural event that will take place Saturday, May 19, 2018, at the Polk State Center for Public Safety in Winter Haven. These speakers and performers will come together for the independently organized event, licensed by TED, to share engaging, thought-provoking talks under the theme of “Connect, Create, Communicate.” Read more to see who will be speaking at this event!

TEDxPolkStateCollege will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Polk State Center for Public Safety, which is located at 1251 Jim Keene Blvd. Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. and light refreshments will be available during registration.

Tickets for the event are $30 for the general public and $15 for students, and are available online at polk.edu/boxoffice. For more information, email boxoffice@polk.edu or call 863.297.1050. The price includes a light breakfast and snacks during the break.

TEDxPolkStateCollege continues to seek volunteers and partners for the event. For more information, please visit TEDxPolkStateCollege.com.

Launched in 2009, TEDx is a program of locally organized events that bring communities together to share TED-like experiences. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group setting.

“This event will allow individuals – both from the College and local community – to become part of a global conversation about our shared future,” Polk State Professor and TEDxPolkStateCollege Organizer Jeri Hammond said.

About TEDx, x = independently organized eventIn the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.

About TEDTED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or fewer) delivered by today's leading thinkers and doers. Many of these talks are given at TED's annual conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, and made available, free, on TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Monica Lewinsky, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.

TED's open and free initiatives for spreading ideas include TED.com, where new TED Talk videos are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from thousands of volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed; the annual million-dollar TED Prize, which funds exceptional individuals with a "wish," or idea, to create change in the world; TEDx, which provides licenses to thousands of individuals and groups who host local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, which selects innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

Follow TED on Twitter at twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TED.

About Polk State CollegeLocated in Winter Haven, Florida, and established in 1964, Polk State College is a multi-campus institution serving more than 16,000 students with Bachelor of Applied Science, Bachelor of Science, Associate in Arts, and Associate in Science degrees, as well as a wide range of certificate and workforce training options. The College also operates three charter high schools. Polk State’s advantages include small class sizes; hands-on learning; dedicated faculty; day and night classes; online options; affordable tuition; excellent financial aid; and a diverse community and vibrant student life, including fine arts opportunities, clubs, and intercollegiate athletics.